San Diego Fire-Rescue personnel assist an elderly driver from his Toyota Prius Oct. 12 after the man struck and knocked over one of the decorative Loma Portal streetlights that are located in the middle of area intersections. The man sustained only minor injuries. / PHOTO BY SCOTT HOPKINS

An elderly driver sustained only minor injuries when he drove his car into one of the decorative, iconic streetlights in Loma Portal last week.

The male driver, alone in the car, sustained only minor injuries in the crash.

The collision left the streetlight completely destroyed, the granite pole lying bent on the street while the rounded globe rested near a curb.

The Loma Portal area of Point Loma is characterized by the stately streetlights that were installed decades ago in the middle of each intersection. And many of them have been toppled by misguided cars over the years.

Last Thursday, one of those cars, a Toyota Prius, slammed directly into the light at the intersection of Locust and Dumas streets.

Responding San Diego Fire-Rescue firefighters and paramedics assisted the man from his car and he was transported to a local hospital.

Over the years, residents have decorated the poles for Christmas and other holidays. Others have used the streetlight poles to post signs asking motorists to slow down in the area.

City workers will be replacing the unique streetlight soon. For now, the base is covered by an orange traffic cone.